MANY have been the Adversaries , both of us and our Holy Profession ; some of whom not being Contented to Oppose us , only in Point of Doctrine , wherein we differ from them ; but rather than not Reproach us enough , have taken Liberty to Misrepresent us , with holding Errors which we deny , and have not yet been proved upon us .

But in all this Opposition , God that has called us into his Living Way , and Worship , hath at all times Effectually Qualified some in our days , as he did in Primitive times ; for the defence of the Gospel ; by which means our Adversaries of that kind , are better Informed or Defeated .

But our Grand Enemy , Envying our Peace , not being Contented to see Sion Prosper , hath by his Subtil devices , begotten in Some ( from among our selves ) , First , a Coldness to Truth it self , and from thence , a letting go Charity to their Brethren , which have Led them into Envy , and Bitterness ; Fruits that of late more especially have been brought forth ; and so much Resembles Cain's Nature , that as much as in them lyes , would slay the Reputation ( at least ) of their Brethren ; even as he did the Natural Life of his Brother ; and which is worse , I fear for the same Reason too .

Now , that which Leads me to the foregoing , was upon Perusal of a late Pamphlet , Subscribed G. W. Called , Something by way of Reply , unto a Paper lately Published in the Citty Mercury , Signed by Twenty Four Men , being also a sort of a Vindication of a former of the same kind , Subscribed D. S. The tenour of which Paper , Signed by those Twenty-Four was to detect D. S's . abusive Work , who in the Name of the Christian Quakers , would Insinuate Guilt ( upon many Honourable Brethren , most of whom long since are deceased ) as Charged by F. B. and other malicious Apostates , most , if not all , of which Calumnies , have been heretofore answered , and our Friends Vindicated .

But such is the Humour of our Present Adversaries , that rather than not be doing , they will not only Dig up the Graves of such , but Rake in their Ashes , whose Memory , even to some of themselves , since Buried , have , I make no Question , been Precious to them .

I shall now leave Generals , and proceed to a Particular Observation on this Pamphlet , Signed G. W. who in his first page saies , Viz. I know not who was the Author , i. e. D. S. Neither do I Pretend to Justifie all that he has said therein . At this rate another of the same kind may come out Subscribed T C. disowning that he knows Either , nor will he Justifie them in all they say ; so that we are , & like to be traduced by a sort of Lurking Adversaries , who by smiting in the dark , are accountable to no Visibles ; but however , he that is Invisible beholds them , who will not let them escape the reward of that Evil work , without they Repent .

In his Third page saith , Viz. — But that You should be so Impertinent first to put on your selves the Name of Christian Quakers , &c. In answer whereto I appeal to the Impartial ; whether it is not more pertinent for Twenty-Four Men , that are known to have been of that Perswasion for many Years , to Sign on behalf of that People , rather than a Nameless Author to do it , and yet he Complains , would any thing but Gross Folly and Ignorance , be guilty of such Weakness .

Again , in his 4th . page says , And Indeed if you Could make the World believe , that the Christian Quakers could give forth no Christian Testimonies , without your leave as you would Insinuate , &c. Here again , I do appeal as before , desiring the Candid Reader to peruse that small Paper Signed by the Twenty-Four , who doubtless would find the Genuine Sense thereof , to intend no other , than whereas D. S. had Imposed upon the World a false Libel , in the Name of the Christian Quakers ; they holding themselves to be of that Society , were willing to undeceive such as might be misled by it ; assuring them , that that Book was not Printed by Direction , or Approbation , of that People ; therefore 't was Requisite that some , known among them , should Clear themselves , and Brethren , from that Imposture .

Then again in the same page he revilingly Suggests , that the Twenty-Four are no Christians , where he says ; It is Possible some might have thought you to have been of that Christian Society , but now your works have absolutely denied it ; with much more of the same kind in that page ; and all for disowning that Book Signed by D. S. and no other reason known to us : Doth this Malicious Author endeavour to Un-Christian us ? And for our Satisfaction , in the 5th . page gives a Challenge on behalf of himself , &c. Viz. But if any Christian People should Question the truth of these Charges hinted at , and elsewhere more at large ; we do offer publickly to prove the greatest part of them , in any publick place convenient , to the faces of these Twenty-Four Men , &c.

In this he is somewhat Modest , by saying , the greatest part , which Naturally Implies the lesser he cannot prove , yet not so modest neither , but that he is more Liberal to Charge us in the dark , than he so much as pretends to prove to our faces . Then again , who is this we that makes this offer , surely it must be D. S. and himself ; in the most Natural Sense of that place Cited , although unknown , as he before said ; and how these unknown Brethren should know how to meet with each other , and we that known Neither to meet with them both , I cannot tell ; and which is worse , when they do meet , t is more then Probable they will not agree ; for G. W. says he doth not Pretend to Justifie all D. S. has said , for , but however , as of Old , with Herod and Pilate , they agreed in Condemning the Innocent .

My task in this ( sober Reader ) has been to discover the Insincerity , and Disingenuity of this G. W. but that of D. S , as well as in General , he is disowned in the Name of that Christian People by the Twenty-Four ; he is also more particularly answered by our Friend Robert Bridgman , to which I refer for Satisfaction , in Reference to D. S. and to the particular Calumnies , in both our Occult Adversaries ; I do recommend thee to the Books following , Viz. The Quakers Vindication , in on Sheeet , given to the Parliament against F. Bugg's Calumnies . And Innocency Triumphant over Intolency also ; The Counterfeit Convert , a Scandal to Christianity , and the Certificate therein annext to the Preface ; likewise the Iust Inquiry into the Libellers Abuse , all by George Whitehead . And for answer to his Six page about Jeptha's Daughter and Micah's Mother , I refer unto Tho. Ellwood , Antidote , Chap. 8. Sect. 1. from p. 205. to 210 , and Sect. 5. p. 214 , 215. For it would be unreasonable to suppose , we should as often make repeated Replies , as our Adversaries pleasure is to repeat Charges upon us , long since answered , and refuted ; so that we shall rest Satisfied , in that Care already has been taken , to Vindicate our Innocent Brethren , knowing that no Candid Reader will Judge them Guilty , without examining whether true or false , especially since they are now reminded and recommended to the abovesaid Books .